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Resumes and cover letters

Should your resume hide your race? Try this time-honored advice: Just be yourself June 5, 2009

By Nick Corcodilos Syndicated columnist Is it OK for an African-American student to include in her resume the fact that she is an active member of certain African-American groups at college?(trends)ww.polldaddy.com">poll) Q: An African-American friend is about to send...

Nothing personal: Resume scanning dumbs down job searching and hiring May 29, 2009

By Nick Corcodilos Syndicated columnist Q: Every article and book about resumes preaches the importance of creating a scannable resume. You must have the right key words and the right font to be "found" by the scanning machine. It...

Do managers value skills over potential -- and are they even reading your resume? May 15, 2009

By Nick Corcodilos Syndicated columnist Q: An interviewer asked if I did any programming work, when my resume clearly states that I did. Sometimes I'm asked if I know this software tool or that one. If I did, I...

Should you send a cover letter? Definitely maybe, say hiring professionals April 10, 2009

By Diane Stafford McClatchy Newspapers Don't you wish there was The Rule for job applications? Unfortunately, there isn't. Take cover letters. Should you write one? What should it say? How should you send it? I asked several human-resources professionals...

It's just good policy to review the benefits package before you accept a job offer February 6, 2009

By Nick Corcodilos Syndicated columnist Q: A company has given me a job offer, but its policy is not to disclose the benefits until after I've accepted the position. This sounds really bizarre. They assure me that the package...

Prying eyes: Play it safe with your online profile February 2, 2009

Candice Choi The Associated Press Social-networking sites | Personal information, photos can turn into accidental résumé if seen by recruiters, employers NEW YORK — Someone is trying to sabotage your career. It's your online persona. With smaller budgets and...

Protect your reputation from unscrupulous consultants January 9, 2009

polls - Take Our Poll Q: You were hired by a "consulting company," which in turn marketed you to one of its clients. You're now working at the client's offices. You just found out that your company purposely rewrote...

Include interests on résumé December 29, 2008

By Mary Ellen Slayter The Washington Post Recent law-school graduate Brandon Fuller is looking for a job with a nonprofit environmental group. Fuller presents himself well, said Cathy Wasserman, a career coach and author of Idealist.org's Ask Cathy column....

How should I format an e-mailed resume? December 12, 2008

By Nick Corcodilos Syndicated columnist Q: When you reply via e-mail to a job ad, what is the preferred format for a cover letter and a resume? A nicely designed document, or plain text? Many companies don't specify. NICK'S...

Tailor résumés to catch the eye December 5, 2008

The right resume is no longer just about high-quality paper. Today’s job hunters need to know how to employ keywords, tailor their c.v. for each targeted job, and present a mid-career change of professions.

Should you get yourself a video resume? October 3, 2008

Should you have a video resume made? ( polls) Q: What could be worse than the boring resume you've been sending out all your life? Nick's reply: Twelve minutes' worth of boring, awkward video of a nervous job hunter...

How does a failed business owner get a job again? October 3, 2008

By Nick Corcodilos Syndicated columnist Q: Four years ago, three co-workers and I bought the software development firm we worked for, but business has slowed down and the company is failing. I am seeking another job using the 10...

Will I get caught if I lie about my college credentials? September 19, 2008

By Nick Corcodilos Syndicated columnist Q: In the case of a successful manager, how important is a college degree to a headhunter? I don't have a degree. With so much emphasis on education nowadays, should I fabricate the truth...

Does a headhunter really do it without resumes? August 29, 2008

surveys - Take Our Poll Q: I'm a headhunter who tells people that the best resume is NO resume. Yet companies demand resumes all the time. So what's your guess about how I am able to present candidates to...

As economy grows stale, time to refresh résumé March 13, 2008

If you're worried about losing your job as the economy weakens, it's time to update your résumé in case you need to hunt for new employment. Your goal should be making your résumé stand out from the hundreds of others employers receive.

Focus on skills and training, not troubled past on résumé October 19, 2007

Joanne Jester has an impressive résumé. It describes her many duties as office manager for cdm eCycling, a small Baltimore company. She also lists prior employers, including State Use Industries, from 2000 to 2003. But there's a catch: State Use Industries was the prison-industry arm of Maryland's correctional system. Jester worked as a telemarketing office assistant there while serving a four-year sentence for theft and related charges. Her résumé reveals nothing about her imprisonment.

Resume writing December 7, 2005

The purpose of your resume is to make the reader want to interview you. Resumes should be informative, concise, consistent, and should highlight intriguing skills and experience. They should grab attention early and provide a concentrated, convincing argument that you perfectly match the position at hand.

References December 6, 2005

References can have a significant impact on the final hiring decision. Be ready at a moment's notice to provide potential employers with at least three solid ones. Approach only your natural contacts, the people who would unquestionably offer a glowing report about you.

"There's no excuse for that." September 2, 2005

Jack Goldberg knows the job market from the inside out. His Kirkland-based firm, Personnel Management Systems, not only helps other companies recruit, screen and hire employees, but he has had to do that himself recently. His company now has 20 employees.

Take a tip from the boss January 23, 2005

With a slow economic recovery, Seattle's job market is full of smart, talented, skilled professionals still looking for work, right? Sonny Shrivastava figured as much when he began interviewing candidates for his startup, an advertising agency called Studio Seattle.

The ins and outs of providing references July 3, 2003

You have 100% control over WHO you use as a reference, so be warned, never, ever, use the name of a former boss who disliked you or with whom you had conflicts. Find another manager or top executive who will say good things, and use that person as your reference.

20 tips to a top-notch resume May 22, 2003

Today's job market requires a highly effective resume to capture the employer's attention. Based on the survey I conducted of 600 hiring managers, here are 20 ways to help you improve your online resume.

Write a great online cover letter April 10, 2003

Hiring managers agree: Good cover letters are very influential. Many people forget about cover letters when applying online, but taking time to craft a good one is a wise job-hunting strategy to employ. What makes up a great letter?

How to submit a resume & apply online on NWjobs April 3, 2003

Creating a resume online that captures an employer's attention should be easy, but the process is often racked with problems. I'm going to offer you specific ways to improve your resume and its online format for NWjobs, to emphasize your skills so employers will find you.

Resume secret employers love February 27, 2003

A Human Resources Manager, from a prominent Northwest company, asked for my help writing her resumé. She told me: "I see resumes all the time. Thousands have passed through my hands, but when it comes to writing my own I have a difficult time doing it. "

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